BUSINESSMAN Felix Stewart is taking to his bike for an international cycling marathon with one of Britain’s sporting heroes.

Ryedale-based Felix will be raising funds for Cancer Research, Help for Heroes, Sport Relief and other charities with old friend Lawrence Dallaglio.

The former England rugby captain and World Cup winner has invited Felix and other friends and celebrities to join him on the Dallaglio Cycle Slam.

The event is a 2,800km cycle challenge from Rome to Murrayfield in Scotland, taking in all the Six Nations stadia along the route.

The benefit ride in February and March next year will be followed by the BBC and participants hope to raise more than £1m for various charities.

Felix, originally from Oswaldkirk near Helmsley, was educated at nearby Ampleforth College with Lawrence, And he is offering a week’s holiday at a six-bedroom Italian villa with pool as a prize to the winner of a charity raffle limited to the first 100 entrants.

"I’m really looking forward to the challenge and spending a bit of time in the saddle with some old mates," he said.

"Most importantly I’m hoping that as a group we can reach our target of one million pounds for some really deserving causes."

He added: "Both Lawrence and I have lost loved ones to cancer, so Cancer Research UK was an obvious charity to back and we are both in awe and admiration of the sacrifices our soldiers are making everyday in Afghanistan, so supporting Help for Heroes was a must."

Anyone wanting to enter the raffle or sponsor Felix can do so at justgiving.com/Felix-Stewart or by contacting him directly at felix.stewart@marcheholidayhomes.co.uk